MANILA, Philippines — The second day of the pre-trial conference in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte began Monday, with both the prosecution and defense continuing discussions on evidence and procedural matters ahead of the scheduled trial.
FOCUS REMAINS ON EVIDENCE AND STIPULATIONS
Lawyers representing the House of Representatives prosecution panel and Duterte’s defense team resumed the process of marking documentary evidence and resolving stipulations, which are intended to identify facts that both parties agree on before trial.
Of the four articles of impeachment, the parties have so far reached substantial agreement only on the evidence and witnesses related to the third article.
HEATED EXCHANGES MARK FIRST DAY
The opening day of the pre-trial conference was marked by tense exchanges between the prosecution and defense, although both sides described the disagreements as part of the normal legal process.
Defense spokesperson and lawyer Michael Poa earlier said Duterte’s legal team hoped to complete the pre-trial proceedings as early as Monday.
House prosecutor Chel Diokno also expressed optimism that the conference could conclude by Monday or, at the latest, Tuesday.
PURPOSE OF THE PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE
The pre-trial conference is designed to streamline court proceedings by establishing agreed facts, narrowing legal issues, identifying witnesses, marking evidence, resolving objections, and setting the order of presentation during the impeachment trial.
It also serves to determine the schedule and procedures that will govern the formal trial.
TRIAL REMAINS SET FOR JULY 6
Unless modified during the pre-trial conference, Duterte’s impeachment trial is scheduled to begin on July 6.
The outcome of the pre-trial may affect procedural matters but is not expected to alter the substance of the impeachment charges.
FOUR ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT
Vice President Duterte is facing four articles of impeachment filed by the House of Representatives:
- Article I: Alleged misuse of up to P612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education between late 2022 and 2023.
- Article II: Alleged accumulation of unexplained wealth disproportionate to her lawful income and the alleged failure to fully disclose her assets.
- Article III: Alleged bribery and corruption involving monetary gifts and undisclosed payments to officials of the Department of Education during her tenure as education secretary.
- Article IV: Allegations stemming from her public statements about allegedly contracting a hitman to target President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Impeachment process
An impeachment pre-trial is conducted before the formal presentation of evidence begins. It allows both sides to identify uncontested facts, organize documentary and testimonial evidence, and establish the procedures that will govern the impeachment trial before the impeachment court.